Centre Pompidou
Centre Pompidou (Renzo Piano & Richard Rogers, 1977). Study of balancing structural geometry.
Diagram © Priscilla Seggio & Maria Eugenia Villafañe
The structural strategy for this building consists of a series of frame-sets that confer stiffness to the building, strategically placed throughout. They support the slabs and services, and are visible in their totality only at the lateral facades.
These frame-sets are sought as portal frames. At each end, a balancing configuration of trusses and cantilever beams (”gerberettes”) is presented, cancelling the bending moments resulting at either side of the columns. This layout repeats at each level of the building.
The DNA for this frame-set shows the two groups of loads acting at either side of each column: in pink are the loads on trusses and "v" reinforcements, while in green are the loads imposed by the tensors on the gerberettes.
Pink loads (43% on each side) are reflected on the "truss side" or inner part of the Gerberette, while green loads (7% on each side) are reflected on the "tensor side" or outer part.
The Gerberette is divided into two segments with different lengths on the inner and outer side: 1m inside and 5.8m outside. The two groups of loads are proportionally inverse to the lengths of the two segments of the Gerberette. The joint of the Gerberette with the column acts as a "rótula" that allows forces to equalize the bending moments. Therefore, the loads are distributed far from the axis of the column.
Centre Pompidou (Renzo Piano & Richard Rogers, 1977). Study of balancing structural geometry.
Diagram © Priscilla Seggio & Maria Eugenia Villafañe
Centre Pompidou (Renzo Piano & Richard Rogers, 1977). Views of frame-sets at lateral facades.
Pictures @ https://www.atlasofplaces.com/architecture/centre-pompidou/